Power In The Desert: Ivanpah On The Verge

The giant Ivanpah solar thermal project in the Mojave Desert is now 92 percent complete, developers said this week. The 377-megawatt project consists of three 459-foot-tall towers encircled by arrays of garage-door-sized mirror sets. Those computer-controlled “heliostats” – 153,990 out of 173,500 of which are in place – will reflect the sun onto the receiving towers, heating water to create steam that will drive turbines that produce electricity.